Trail Mix

I have always thought it would be a really great accomplishment to run in a marathon and many times over my college career I have attempted to be dedicated enough to train for one. Unfortunately, I have never really tried hard enough and have always lost the motivation. So, I am attempting it one more time! I have a goal and a date to look forward to so now I am just beginning to educate myself on how to train. While researching I came across good, healthy snacks to eat for energy. One of the snacks was putting together your own Trail Mix instead of buying one pre-packaged. So here is the one I made, which is close to the mix suggested, that I thought I would share.

1/2 cup of Honey Nut Cheerios
About 2 tbsp of Raisins (substitute with any dried fruit if you don't prefer raisins)
About 2 tbsp of Lightly Salted Peanuts (or any nut)

So, try it and see if you like it! It was really inexpensive to buy the ingredients and they will last me a long time!

Earth Hour

I subscribe to the newsletter from Seventh Generation called 7Gen. I am a huge fan of the Seventh Generation products and they have a pretty cool newsletter too! I received their latest one today and there was an article about "Earth Hour". I had heard about "Earth Hour" a few weeks ago, but had totally forgotten about it. I usually don't get excited about things like this, but I do think this is neat. On Saturday March 28th at 8:30pm local time, everyone around the world is going to turn off their lights for a full hour. Obviously, participation in this is easy! Just turn off your lights from 8:30-9:30pm this Saturday and be apart of a united act to make a difference and a statement.

So, mark your calendars and light your candles...soy candles, of course!

Your Nature Place

I am back to reality, school, work and the Internet after a 7 day cruise to Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. It feels good to be home, but I would not mind if I had been stranded in a beachy location for a few more weeks. I have figured out that the warm sun and salt water does more for my body and soul than any spa. I am starting to believe that nature can provide healing and soul revival that medicine and makeovers can not.

About six years ago, I went to Taos, New Mexico for a dance program over the summer. The program included all types of dance classes as well as pilates and yoga classes everyday. I specifically remember an exercise that we did every morning in my yoga class. Our instructor had us lay on our back with our eyes closed. We had to envision a place of nature that was the most peaceful to us. It could be a meadow, the mountains, your backyard, a waterfall, etc. There were no limitations. I would always imagine a beach like the one I visited every year with my family. If you were to close your eyes and imagine a peaceful place in nature, where would it be?

Now...make it a priority to visit your place of nature. Bring a book. Get a drink. Whatever makes you happy!

(the picture above was taken during my tip by my sister's friend in Costa Maya, Mexico)

Read This: Green Marketing

I am currently reading the book on the right called Green Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation by Jacquelyn Ottman. Ottman is a consultant and a pioneer in green marketing. This book has great insight on the forces behind the green movement and how it effects marketing and business in general. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in marketing, advertising or consumerism. It is an easy read with short chapters, case studies, and graphs. I was not able to find it at my local bookstores, so I ordered it from Amazon.

Happy Reading!

Green Music on iTunes

I was browsing on iTunes this afternoon trying to find some great Spring Break music to listen to while I'm laying on the beach (pure bliss). I came across an iTunes Essentials playlist called "Earth Day". It is a compilation of songs about conserving and loving our planet from different artists. It is awesome to see how many artists have advanced the awareness of our planet through music. Some of my favorites on this playlist include "3 R's" by Jack Johnson (a.k.a. Reduce Reuse Recycle), "Big Yellow Taxi" by Joni Mitchell, and "Mercy Mercy Me" by Marvin Gaye. Check it out and purchase some earth lovin' songs!

I'm thinking that my blog theme song should be "3 R's" by Jack Johnson. If anyone knows how to play songs on blogs, I would appreciate the help!

Follow Up

I want to do a quick follow up on some past posts. I have gotten some really great comments on some of my posts and have received cool sites to check out. So here are a few things I want to share with you!

First, in response to my post about the Do's and Don'ts of Recycling...although plastic grocery bags do not recycle, many grocery stores will recycle them for you. I noticed that even Wal-Mart has a bin near customer service where you can bring in plastic bags to be recycled. I have started keeping all of my plastic bags in my laundry room until I go to Wal-Mart and can drop them off.

Second, one of my readers posted this site in response to my post about Bare Tableware. I think it is definitely worth sharing with everyone!

http://www.verterra.com/

And third, another reader posted this website. If you are looking for a durable reusable bag, this looks like a great option!

http://www.reusablebags.com/store/acme-bags-workhorse-style-1500-p-1.html

Thanks to all of those who have been following my blog so far! I am learning so much and am excited to continue sharing my adventures with you all. I hope you all keep reading and telling your friends about Take On Green!

Before You Leave for Vacation

I am less than two weeks away from my week long Spring Break vacation and I am sure that many of you who read my blog will also be vacationing during the month of March. I thought it was an appropriate time to mention 5 things you can do to stay eco-friendly while you travel.

1. Eat all your food. Don't waste food that will perish while you are gone.

2. Unplug everything. Even the little things like clocks and coffee makers make a difference.

3. Put your outdoor lights on timers if you plan to leave them on while you are gone. Leaving outside lights on is a good way to scare away burglars, but leaving them on during the daylight is just a waste of energy.

4. Carpool to the airport. If you have friends or family traveling at the same time, travel together.

5. Bring your reusable water bottle with you so you don't have to buy plastic ones while you travel.

Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Spring Break!!

(picture above is one I took in Cozumel during Spring Break last year)